Watch This Show

I rarely always have opinions on the latest educational books television shows. For while, I have heard that "Orange is the New Black" is "the greatest show ever."

People, this is not a lie.  It really IS the greatest show ever.  Now I know I say this very thing about almost every show on television.  Hell, for a while I claimed "Jersey Shore" was the greatest show ever.  I am ashamed and embarrassed that I ever stooped so low.  However, my television taste has significantly improved since my high school days, and I am confident in my statement that "Orange is the New Black" is where it's at.  Here's why:

• I am a huge fan of the whole Netflix media movement. This show is only on Netflix, you can watch all the episodes, and it is just popular enough to have good conversation about it but not so popular that everybody, their mother, and grandmother all watch it (that would be Grey's Anatomy). 
• The opening song is performed by Regina Spektor--one of my very favorites.  It's a beautiful song.  Check it out:

• This show features women as the main characters (as it takes place at a women's correctional facility), and more shows need that.  Down with patriarchy! 
• It is based on a true story.  Of course there are some changes for the purpose of the show, but the fact that it is based on a true story adds a whole new awesome element.  Click here to read the raddest post on how "real" this show is.
  
  Taylor Shilling, who plays Piper Chapman, with the real Piper Kerman
• They are not afraid to tackle the topics that need to be addressed, but aren't:  drug abuse, suicide, LGBTQ issues, etc. all with maturity and honesty, yet still adding humor.
  
• The cast.  I can't even handle the cast.  Namely Laura Prepon and Natasha Lyonne.  The whole cast is absolutely brilliant.  I love that there are so many characters and you get to know all of them.
  
  
  
• The most important thing about the show is that it brings to light injustices in our criminal justice system.  It honestly addresses privileges and oppressions based on race, gender, socio-economic status, and sexual orientation.  It is extremely raw, and has important messages constantly.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend this show.  There is lots of strong language and some sexual material.  It's an honest show.  Don't watch it if you are offended by those things, but then again, how would you function in the world if you are too offended by those things? That's life!  

Have you seen this show?  Or are there any other shows that I absolutely should be watching?  My one regret with "Orange is the New Black" is that I didn't start watching it sooner, so if you have recommendations, lay 'em on me! 

I went a little Monica Gellar crazy last weekend...

I love "Friends," and the quirks I have that resemble Monica scare me, for she can be neurotically crazy, yet they warm my heart, for I always live in a really freaking clean apartment.  But last weekend, I did something extreme.  In two days, I completely redid my entire apartment, almost entirely by myself.  I mean I really flipped the thing around.  Here are some pictures if you would like to check it out:

I put together this vacuum all by myself.  With a screwdriver.  Accomplishment #1.

I proceeded to use the vacuum cleaner through the whole house accompanied by pet fresh. Linus could be a model.

 I proceeded to fix the chairs that have been broken since the first time we put them together--a year ago...

...and I had to use the toolbox to do it.  It is weird, I know, but with every successful, tiny repair I made, I felt a little more confident about who I am and my place in the world.

 I think Lucy likes the new bed spread!

 I even made new Arizona tea lanterns--a task I was never trusted with because the combination of my clumsiness and the use of a knife was thought to be lethal.  Probably accurate, but I did it! 

 Loving the table by the window...

 ...but not as much as I adore our new houseplants.  To fill my heart with another thing to take care of rather than adopting another dog, these plants are just perfect. 

 The most adorable little leash-hangers the world has ever seen.

 Check out the glorious new rug.  Oh, and that nice, new, flat screen TV my roommate and I just invested in.  Definitely the best decision of the weekend.

There you have it! I would like to thank IKEA for allowing me to blow lots of money and tricking me into thinking I'm shopping smart because things are so cheap.  I would like to thank my mother for shopping with me and not judging me for spending an entire paycheck on apartment decor. I would like to thank my roommate, David, for letting me loudly clean until 4 a.m. and helping me with the living room.  

I think the apartment flip was much-needed.  It makes my apartment feel a little more like home, after it felt like just a place to crash for a while there.  A little fact about me? I'm obsessed with cute apartments.  I can't wait until our lease is up and I can find another cute place in the city.  I really can't wait to move to London and find an adorable little flat.  I love feeling at home, and I like having a place where I can run around and dance in my underwear and nobody will judge me.

Honesty

It's a human thing.  Why is it so damn hard for us to admit that we are sad, or having a hard time, or breathing heavier than usual?  If you complain too much on social media, you are considered annoying.  If you only post pictures about your happy life and perfect relationship, you are considered superficial.  So here I am, trying to break those extremes with some honesty.

Since returning from my almost dream-like trip to India, I have been a bit of an emotional mess.  The past few days weeks have been some of the most difficult I can remember.  I have been made painfully aware of my flaws--to the point where I let them become my identity.  I feel like I have spent 43,829 minutes worrying and over analyzing things over the last month.  That's a lot--considering it is literally every minute.   

"They" say that everyone experiences heartbreak--everyone goes through a time in their life where they feel totally lost. Well "they" are full of shit because nothing "they" could have said could prepare me for it.  So that's my honesty piece.

But here is the beauty in it all--the silver lining, if you will, or perhaps just a happy perspective:

It is all okay.  So much of life seems to be about the perspective we have on it.  So right now, my perspective is that these dark days and heavy feelings will serve a purpose.  I have never really spent this much time with myself, and let me tell you, it is perhaps the best and worst thing that has ever happened to me.  It is the worst because I am confronted face-to-face with my every insecurity, every flaw, and every bit of self-doubt.  And truthfully, that gets lonely.  That is not to say I don't have wonderful friends and family in my life, because I do--this has just been the most me I have ever had to handle.  But already, this has been absolutely essential in my life journey.  These days will help me strengthen my independence, and help me to rekindle my passion for life.  They will help me to rediscover me.

So who am I? Well, right now I am not really sure how to answer that question.  The other day, I had the intense urge to jump on a plane to anywhere (let's be real, that is an every day thought).  But the then I had the thought that being a fire-fighter would be pretty cool.  Then I thought trading lives with my dog would be the most stellar thing in the world. Point is, for the first time, this obsessive planner and big dreamer doesn't know what the future holds.  For the first time, I am actually living in the moment, day-to-day.  And that is okay for now.  I am working on myself, from the inside out.  Right now, I know that I want to make a difference in the world (I don't know how).  I want to treat everyone with kindness (sometimes I fail).  I enjoy reading comedian's memoirs (I envy their natural ability to make clever jokes).  Running, oddly enough, makes me extremely happy (I'm really slow).  There's more, but that is a pretty good summary of what I have.  But right now, it is what I need.
I will take this time for me.  But I will be back with the firey passion, loud opinions, failed attempts at ridiculous jokes, and crazy dreams in no time.  

The Most Important Travel Lesson I Learned

I learned and grew so much during my five weeks spent in India.  I feel more in tune with myself, more humbled and grateful for the privileges and blessings I have every day, more compelled to study up on the happenings of the world, and more desire to live my life in such a way that will make a difference in the world.
It would be impossible for me to articulate to you all just how much I learned on this trip about myself.  This week, I will post about all I learned regarding the current situation in Tibet.  Other than that, my lessons seemed very internal and personal.  My journal from my travels has the privilege of hearing those inner thoughts, but I'm not sure if I could ever express them on my blog.  That being said, I would love to share with you all the most important lesson I learned about travel in general:
Never compare the places you travel.  Never go into a new country with expectations based on past travel experiences.  It will throw you off.
In 2011 traveled to Nairobi, Kenya with International Volunteer Headquarters--the same organization I traveled to India with.  Kenya will always hold a very special place in my heart, as it was my first real experience of this big, wide world.
I went to India thinking of all the things that would be the same and different as my experience in Kenya.  Let me tell you, NOTHING was the same.  Absolutely nothing.  Not the volunteer organization, not the people, not the food, not the weather--nothing!  It took me a few days to realize that I had to stop comparing my time in India to my time in Kenya.  When I did that, I was free to embrace the culture and life I was experiencing in India.  I was able to gain so much on a totally different level than I would have if I was constantly comparing the two.
Here is what I firmly believe:
Every place you travel, you will gain something new.  There will be one main thing that impacts you, and can sum up your experience in that country.
In Kenya, what stood out to me was the genuine happiness and love the people embraced, despite all the struggles they deal with.  Resiliency.

I was living in the second largest slum in all of Africa.  The poverty and devastating circumstances there overwhelm me to this day.  I remember being astounded that the majority of the students at my school didn't know who their parents were--they were orphans in the slum.  I remember the day my students took me to see the body of a man who had just been killed by the mob the previous night--a terrible image so vivid and clear in my memory.  I was brought to tears to see the women and children who were literally living in mountains of garbage, yet they still had smiles on their faces.  Realizing the number of people I was surrounded with struggling with AIDS, yet living as best as they can was emotional.  Yet the Kenyan people have a happiness and a smile that I swear can light up the world.  They came rolling up in matatus (vans) blasting reggae music, ready to adventure, laugh, and joke.  They welcomed us into their homes with open arms and loving brightness. I am forever grateful for those experiences.  I learned through my friends in Kenya that positivity and happiness are so powerful.
In India, what stood out to me was spirituality.

There are many places in Dharamsala, such as temples, where you are not allowed to take pictures.  I have less pictures to show the spirituality in Tibet. The final two pictures are  not mine--click on the picture for photo credit!

Religion and spirituality rule every aspect of life in India and Tibet, and it is truly beautiful.  We only got to experience Hinduism a little, but I can talk forever about Tibetan Buddhism.  The Tibetan people we were privileged to be surrounded by were the most spiritual I have ever met.  Most of the town of Dharamsala was monks and nuns, dedicating their lives to learning the teachings of the Buddha and striving to live the best life possible in order to be happy in the next life.  Love and compassion, the two fundamental principles of Buddhism are truly what the Tibetan people live.  Their spirituality was deeply personal and so modest, yet so beautiful.  Right now, they are unable to practice their religion in Tibet, so many of them cross the Himalayan mountains to seek refugee status in neighboring countries.  They have three ambitions: to meet the Dalai Lama, to learn English, and to practice Buddhism.  They risk their lives for these ambitions, and it humbled me to see that.  I feel as if I gained a whole new appreciation for spirituality in my life.  It really can be the thing that keeps a person going when all else seems to crash down.  It is a beautiful thing, and I have an all new appreciation for the freedom we have here in America to practice whatever religious and spiritual beliefs we want.
Sorry for the extremely long post--there was just so much to say! If you read this much, thanks, and I would love to hear your thoughts!
Go out and see the world.  You will grow unimaginable amounts in the journey of figuring out your beliefs and place in the world.  I know I have.

On Staying Healthy in India

Because I want to use my blog as a way to merge all the important things in my life to make a compilation of me, I figure I should probably inform you all about my health while traveling around India for five weeks!
I have found through my couple lengthy international trips that my Multiple Sclerosis is the best ever while traveling. It bothers me the least--I think it has to do with the fact that I don't have to worry about the stress of all the western pressures (school, money, appointments, deadlines, emails, etc.), along with the fact that there is too much culture and excited to take in to be sick.  I am grateful I had those five weeks with hardly any MS symptoms, other than those that I face on a daily basis.  Since I have been back, my MS has not bothered me!  Fall semester always seems to be the time when I get the most sick, so I am going to work really hard to stay healthy and manage stress throughout this time.
It is also such a healthy feeling to walk everywhere like we did in India.  To get to our house on the mountain, we walked up 91 stairs, many, many times a day.  We mostly traveled on foot, which I absolutely loved!
That is the good news.
The bad news is that I faced the worst stomach sicknesses ever!
TRAVEL TIP: Bring lots of medicine to remedy all the stomach problems in the entire world.
Without getting too personal on my public blog, I can say that eating nothing but potatoes and rice for five weeks will never do good things for your digestive system.
TRAVEL TIP: Be prepared to talk about all of your unfortunate stomach and digestive problems openly and often with your roommates. It is just a fact of travel.  The benefits will always outweigh the nights of stomach cramps and desire for nothing but protein and vegetables, but you WILL run into those issues!
Now that I have been back in the United States for over a week, my body seems to have regulated and has definitely been enjoying our western food! I am looking forward to living a healthy life this semester, and making some positive changes for my health all around.  I think traveling to India helped me put my health situation into perspective, as well.  I have this body that can take me all over the world, that has been through very little hardship compared to others in the world, and that deserves to be healthy for a long, long time.  I am going to do everything in my power to keep it that way, despite Multiple Sclerosis or anything else the world has to throw at it!

19 Magical Hours in Germany

I am finally able to say that I am getting back into the swing of my normal life, and I am ready to tell you all about India! I feel like I have so much to post.  Already, it feels somewhat like our trip to India was just a dream.  It is mind-blowing to me that the friends I met in India have already lived my today.  It feels as if it is another world.  A dream world to me.  But I have the pictures, stories, and experiences to constantly remind me that I did in fact travel to India, and had an absolutely life-changing experience there! 

Before posting my final thoughts about India, I would like to share with you the magical 19 hours we had the privilege of spending in Germany!

I was absolutely thrilled to see that we had a 19 hour overnight layover in Germany.  We knew we wanted to go out and explore the city, and that is exactly what we did.

After landing at the Frankfurt airport, struggling to figure out the train system with only German signs, and ending up at a Germany football game filled with what seemed like all the drunk Germans in the world singing their national anthem in their excited, festive stupor, we finally ended up at the main Frankfurt train station.  We were lucky to have met an Australian guy to figure out the train system with--it's fun how you can always expect to meet random, cool people while traveling.  We went our separate ways, and Quincy and I set out to find a hostel or hotel for the night.  Our immediate impression of Frankfurt was that there were an extreme number of sex shops.  Come to find out, we were staying smack dab in the center of the Frankfurt Red Light District--a safe yet...interesting place! After quite a while of wandering the very modern streets, we found a run down little hotel that actually seemed luxurious compared to what we were used to for the past 5 weeks.

After settling in at our little hotel, we set out to find some dinner.  Europe has such a cool vibe, even just wandering the streets.  Something that I can't quite point out felt distinctly European. We happened upon a cute little restaurant, where we ate a delicious, protein-filled dinner for the first time in weeks. 

Of course, dinner in Germany must include some alcohol, so we shared a delicious Jack Daniels Lynchburg Lemonade!

We were able to enjoy a nice night in what felt like the most comfortable beds in the world after sleeping on practically wood for five weeks prior.

The next morning, we woke up and did some exploring.  We were excited to find out that Römerberg was just a 10 minute walk from our hotel! Römerberg was destroyed in WWII, but it was rebuilt to look like historic Germany.  It was absolutely perfect--so quaint and sweet.  It literally was just a strip of stunning,  old-time-y buildings:

Cute buildings of Römerberg

We wandered around a little, only to find what had to be the most romantic bridge in all of Germany.  It The sun was rising over the river while street-musicians played beautiful, European music.  The air was crisp and cool and we were out before anyone else was--we had the whole morning just to ourselves!

  There were love locks along the bridge that just added to the romantic feel.

 For breakfast, we enjoyed a famous Frankfurt brat accompanied with delicious, sweet apple wine.

After that, we headed back to the airport and finished our journey home.  Our 19 hours in Germany was perfect.  I would highly recommend taking the time to go out and explore if you ever have a long layover.  Being in Germany made me even more excited to move to London in the near-ish future (more to come on those exciting plans, soon).

Auf Wiedersehen! Goodbye!

On Sight Seeing

I realized on my trip that sight seeing is not my favorite part of traveling.  Obviously, there is an obligation to see all the amazing places all over the world, and I will be happy to do so.  But the interesting thing about sight seeing is that once you get the picture, the sight is pretty much over.  What really drives me to see the world is the people.  I am absolutely fascinated by the fact that there are people all over the world living my tomorrow or my yesterday in completely different ways than I will. Different languages, different food, different traditions, different physical appearance, different everything.  It is fascinating! Also, the natural beauty in all different places are the most beautiful sights of all.  As for the architecture and man-made wonders--they are beautiful. Just not my personal favorite part of traveling. 

That being said, it is incredibly neat to be able to say I have been to the Taj Mahal.  Here are some super-tourist pictures from my time in India:

 Qutb Minar

 Baha'i Lotus Temple

 The Taj Mahal

Red Fort

India has such rich history and TONS of sights to see.  I will have to go back to see them all! I'm excited to share more stories about my adventures and more pictures of the beautiful people of India!